Fireclay in Japan

[david s]

Re: Fireclay in Japan

Mikku,
If you are building an enclosure for your oven then there is no need to render a hard shell over your existing insulation. Save yourself the extra weight, time, materials and expense.

[mikku]

Re: Fireclay in Japan

I have a partially completed render coat on the dome right now with cracks that I want to seal up better. That is the reason for the render coat --nothing more.

Sand, Portland, a little lime and water are pretty cheap commodities. Right now it is accessible and very easy to work on--later impossible.

I thought you were skiing somewhere in Japanland--still have time to post?

[david s]

Re: Fireclay in Japan

I thought you were skiing somewhere in Japanland--still have time to post?

Yes, we're at Nozawa Onsen, just about to hit the slopes. Had tons of snow since we arrived, but today looks like being sunny. We have WI Fi at the lodge and although I haven't been thinking much about ovens, I do plan to build an Onsen over an oven when we get back. Can't see why it wouldn't work.

[mikku]

Re: Fireclay in Japan

Welcome to our "neck of the woods"!

Do agree--an oven could produce a huge amount of hot water, just with some loops strategically placed. Plenty for an "onsen" type of bath, plenty for household use as well.

That is one of my ideas for the future as well, but a casting inside a beer keg with loops in the casting.

[mikku]

Re: Fireclay in Japan

Are you still in Japanland? or heading back to the big island--continent?
I looked at google maps and Nozawa Onsen is not that far from where I live if you gauge mileage by how a crow flies--but it is about 3 1/2 hours by car if the roads are good. The "professor" is a lot closer to that area--but it is still a good drive for most people.

I hope that you are enjoying your time here! As a resident, I rarely see the attractions that visitors enjoy... A visit to an onsen --is something you can do anytime, but I haven't gone in years...don't know why, it is a really enjoyable experience! If you were closer, I'd invite you over for a pizza....
I made one tonight even though the chimney does not even protrude through the roof...

Big danger of the roof catching fire, but stainless pipe is a special order item in 150 diameter--so, just wait and keep an eye on the smoke venting from the chimney!!!!!!!!

[mikku]

Re: Fireclay in Japan

Dann,

Hope you do not take offense in being called "the professor". It is meant in a good way. There are a lot of gaijin living in Japan, but very few who have risen to the level to have retired from a job as "a professor" in a Japanese University! What a great accomplishment!

Regards
Mikku

[khpizzaovenguy]

Re: Fireclay in Japan

No offense taken. Actually, I was lucky. When I started at the uni the Vice-Regent told me that for 5 years, I wouldn't have much to do besides classes but that after that I would be busy. After five years they put me in charge of all the required English classes. I had about ten full and part-time people working for me. The next year they promoted me to full prof, and after another year tenured me. At age 65 I was retired then brought in as special prof. Then they put me on almost every committee in the uni.

Now I am completely retired, but a number of the other profs still call me for help.

Dann

[david s]

Re: Fireclay in Japan

Are you still in Japanland? or heading back to the big island--continent?
I looked at google maps and Nozawa Onsen is not that far from where I live if you gauge mileage by how a crow flies--but it is about 3 1/2 hours by car if the roads are good.

Thanks Mikku, we're in Kyoto now and return to Australia in a few days. I am visiting a potter here while my wife does a cooking course. Kyoto is wonderful, much prefer it to Tokyo, although the best was the skiing in Nozawa Onsen.
Keep cooking,
Dave

[mikku]

Re: Fireclay in Japan

Thanks Mikku, we're in Kyoto now and return to Australia in a few days. I am visiting a potter here while my wife does a cooking course. Kyoto is wonderful, much prefer it to Tokyo, although the best was the skiing in Nozawa Onsen.
Keep cooking,
Dave

I traveled through Kyoto only once but never stopped to look around-- that was a long time ago. It was when I still lived in the USA and was visiting. We had Japan Rail Green Car Passes and wanted to take advantage of them. We had reserved seats to Kyoto but as we neared Kyoto, the train was running slow and sprinklers were being used to keep the tracks clean of snow.

I was fed up with snow and cold from Minnesota--instead of getting off, we continued on to Hiroshima and later on to Kyushu ending up at Beppu. There is a wonderful onsen Hotel Sugunoi where we stayed a couple more days before returning to Tokyo.

Did you buy JR Passes before entering Japan? If you do any amount of traveling here, they are well worth it.

Sounds like you are having a good time. Glad to hear it. I hope you spent a lot of money, the economy needs all the help it can get!

[david s]

Re: Fireclay in Japan

Have certainly spent lots of money. Buying food or eating out costs about half of what we'd pay in Australia so we've been eating out every night. I can't believe how many great little restaurants Kyoto has. It seems like every second shop is a restaurant. Last time we visited Japan I didn't really like the food, but this time I've been a little more discerning and have loved everything. Japanese are so inventive with a huge variety of foods. Nashiki markets here in Kyoto are truly amazing. Yes, we did get JR passes and have been using it well also local trains and buses, very efficient.

[mikku]

Re: Fireclay in Japan

Have certainly spent lots of money. Buying food or eating out costs about half of what we'd pay in Australia so we've been eating out every night. I can't believe how many great little restaurants Kyoto has. It seems like every second shop is a restaurant. Last time we visited Japan I didn't really like the food, but this time I've been a little more discerning and have loved everything. Japanese are so inventive with a huge variety of foods. Nashiki markets here in Kyoto are truly amazing. Yes, we did get JR passes and have been using it well also local trains and buses, very efficient.

I thought that basics were inexpensive- like toilet paper, paper towels, health insurance...but food in supermarkets or eating out, I have always thought was very expensive. But the quality of vegetables etc is exceptional. Maybe that is why there are so many WFO's and enthusiasts in Australia--because of the high prices...of prepared meals!

[mikku]

Re: Fireclay in Japan

Dann,
Don't know if PM got through--if not, send another PM with your contact information.
Gary

[filmost]

Re: Fireclay in Japan

Hello,

I just joined this forum and decided to post here since I live in Gunma. my son and I! along with the help of a bunch of other people have got a Pompeii 42 inch oven we'll along to completion. We are curing it now and will be testing baking bread and pizza this coming weekend.
One of the people who helped is a potter I Kiryu, who suggested a place in Kumagaya just across the river from Ota. I got 30 kilo bags of fire clay for 400 yen.
Some background about me: a retired university prof who has been in Japan for more than 40 years. My main hobby is making furniture, particularly reproductions of early American country furniture. My son wants to bake bread and make pizzas, I want to roast turkey for Christmas.

Wow, thanks for the tip! Sorry I have been away from this forum for a quite a while (I have been hanging out at a hot pepper forum). Kumagaya huh, I think thats not too far off from me since I also live in Saitama Prefecture, so I might have to dig around.

[mikku]

Re: Fireclay in Japan

Wow, thanks for the tip! Sorry I have been away from this forum for a quite a while (I have been hanging out at a hot pepper forum). Kumagaya huh, I think thats not too far off from me since I also live in Saitama Prefecture, so I might have to dig around.

Don't know if the 800mm of snow from the 2 week ago dump is melted! Also this week--we had rain! Don't know what Dann had in his area. Maybe a little too early for digging unless you mean snow.

[khpizzaovenguy]

Re: Fireclay in Japan

Hi guys,

We had rain earlier this week as well, not a lot though. There is still some snow on the ground from the big snow last month.

The place I got the fireclay is about 500 meters to the right off 407 just after crossing into Saitama. They have all kinds of clay and other such stuff.

Too cold and too much snow to work on the oven.